From the Heart
by HoorayPickles
Summary: Sequel to Shattered Past. Ten years have passed. Kai won't tell his daughter about her mother and brother or their deaths, but what will happen when Tala stands up to his old friend and insists on telling Nasty the truth? KaiOC, TalaOC, RobertOC R


**Ok… this- will be the last thing I'll write in a very long time… I'm leaving for college around the 25th of September and whilst I'm there I won't have much time for myself, let alone to write fanfiction… I'll be keeping up my blog though (hopefully), so in case you wanna know how I'm doing or if I have some chapter incoming check it out, I've started writing it in English a couple of days ago and it shall be in English from now on unless- I dunno… It'll be in English, there! Ok… guess that's it… Now enjoy the sequel and I'm sorry it took so long to post or if it's beginning sucks! (Or all of it actually… o.O) n-n**

**From the Heart**

**By Kitty-Kris**

**Chapter 1: Daddy's old Friend**

'Stupid robots. That's all we are. Nothing but a bunch of do-all-they-say's who are now behaving like the good automates we are as we wait for them to feed us their brain-washing food- Oh Brad's looking nice today… Anyways- well **I** refuse to eat it.' She smirked and reached for her shirt's front pocket. Hum… Nothing like a good couple of _Twix_ chocolate bars to cheer her up! 'I got my own supplies so I'll escape their mind controlling bowls of goo once again!'

"Hey Nazz, if you go any slower you'll start walking backwards… that is, into ME! **Me**, who happens to want to move forward right into where the food is! C'mon, MOVE IT!"

"Nuh? Oh, sorry… I was just thinking…"

"Really? Well "thinking" is no reason to hold up the lunch line ya know?"

"Shut up I'm going already!"

He cleared his throat and fixed his yellow and black cap casually "Good. Cause I'm hungry! HEY BERTHA! DID YA HEAR ME? I'M HUNGRY!"

The plump woman sighed "Yes Raven I heard you the first five times…"

Rome sighed at them "Can't you two go for at least one minute without causing a scene?"

Nasty smirked "Yeah, during Math classes for example. Damien can go for hours without causing a scene on one of those."

Damien nodded "That's right. I'm a good boy!"

"At Math? All you do is sleep!"

Her two friends turned to her and answered in unison "Precisely!"

"Oh FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

"What? It's a scientifically proven fact. I can't cause a scene if I'm sleeping!" Damien grinned sheepishly

Nasty chuckled and took a tray, innocently filling it with all the "food" she could get her hands on. 'I'll teach you to feed us brain-washing food…'

"Are you seriously gonna eat all that?"

"Hmm? Of course I am!" she advanced and took an apple, motioning over to a table where the rest of her friends already sat at. "Hey, someone's hungry I see…" Vick rose an eyebrow at her.

"Yup!" She sat down and started poking her fork into what was supposed to be lamb chops much to Darien's revulsion "Stop playing with your food and eat already…"

She looked at him "Tell me Darien," she cleared her throat as Damien and Rome took their seats next to her "For how long have you been eating cafeteria food?"

He rose an eyebrow at her "Since I've started attending this school?"

"Oh, I see…" she poked her fries "And… You come here **everyday**, right?"

"Right. So?"

"I see…" She nodded and turned to Damien "Bee, how often do you eat here?"

He stopped stuffing his face with his lunch and looked up at her, blinking "Juh, once, twice a week… You know I normally eat at your place or at _Ned's_… why?" he took another chunk of his lamb chops as he waited for an answer.

"And so does Rome. Except for that raiding my fridge part." She glared at him while he in turn just shrugged and went on eating "Of course. And **I** never really eat here. So we got ourselves three levels of brain-washingness here."

Her cousin rose an eyebrow at her "Brain- washingness?"

"YES!" she slammed her fists on the table, causing her friends to jump a bit "This is brain-washing food!" she pointed at her tray accusatorily.

Darien sighed and rubbed his temple "Is this another one of your excuses for not eating?"

"No DD, this is my conspiracy theory!"

"Another one?" Damien chuckled as he casually took some fries from her tray.

She slapped his hand "YES _Damien_, another one! And everyone has the right to know about it!"

Rome's eyes widened "Wha-? What are you doing!"

Nasty got herself up on their table and whistled loudly, causing the whole cafeteria to look over at her while Rome and Darien looked away from her in embarrassment "Yo hear me out!" she shouted out.

Damien sighed and yanked her back to her seat "Please don't… I'm trying to have a normal lunch period for once!" he muttered

"Hey let Nasty talk faggot!"

"What!" Nasty quickly pushed her friend away and lunged at the boy, clutching his collar as she slammed him into his tray "Who the fuck do you think you are to go around judging other people's choices you half-wit?"

"I-"

"YOU WHAT! APOLOGIZE RIGHT NOW!"

The boy squirmed and wailed as she tightened her grip on his shirt "OK! I'm sorry! LEMME GO! I won't do it again!"

"Good! Hey-!" she complained as someone pulled her off the boy.

"Relax, it's just me…" Damien sighed and guided her out of the cafeteria, muttering "Come on, that's enough, we're leaving!"

"Aw… But what about my speech? And I was planning a food fight! Why the Hell did you think I filled up my tray?"

He chuckled "You can do it some other day now let's go!"

"NO! They deserve the truth and you shall not keep me from telling them!" She turned around to face the whole cafeteria again and cleared her throat, shouting out as her friend dragged her out as quickly as he could "DON'T EAT! THEY'RE TRYING TO BRAINWASH US! **BRAINWASH** US I TELL YOU! RUN! RUN WHILE YOU ALL STILL CA- **HEY DON'T TOUCH MY FRIES YOU FUCKING DICKHEAD! **THOSE ARE MY PATRIOTIC WEAPONS! IT'S LIKE EATING A SHOT GUN USED IN THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY! **TRAITOR! TRAITOR!**"

Vick yanked his hand back from her tray and watched as Damien finally managed to get her out of the cafeteria, his face red from laughter. "Ok… Give her an Oscar already…" he looked over at Nigel and back at Nasty's full tray "I get the fries, you get the lamb chops and- no one wants the green beans right?"

Rome sighed and buried her head in her arms "One . normal . lunch . period… I'm not asking for one normal day, I'm asking for one normal _period_… Is that too much to ask?" she whimpered and looked up at Darien pleadingly.

He merely sighed and went back to his lunch "Look on the bright side. They're gone to terrorize some other place. At least the rest of the period will be normal… Though I can't say the same about this upcoming afternoon…"

"Right… Wonder what the reunion's about…" She sighed thoughtfully and resumed her lunch, keeping a weary eye on her cousin's boyfriend who had by now finished the other girl's fries and was now leering at her own. "Touch them and die." She sneered.

"Aww…"

**(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)**

"_Kann man Herzen brechen  
können Herzen sprechen  
kann man Herzen quälen  
kann man Herzen stehlen_

_Sie wollen mein Herz am rechten Fleck  
doch seh ich dann nach unten weg  
da schlägt es links- _What are YOU looking at **peep**!"

"N- Nothing!"

Rome cringed as the boy quickly averted his eyes from her cousin and got off her fence, walking away hurriedly "Nasty… that was unnecessary…"

"Whatever… _Können Herzen singen  
kann ein Herz zerspringen  
können Herzen rein sein  
kann ein Herz aus Stein sein_- Louder Bee!_"_

Damien shook his head and turned up the volume, to which his friend grinned happily "_Sie wollen mein Herz am rechten Fleck  
doch seh ich dann nach unten weg  
da schlägt es **links**_!"

Rome sighed and mumbled along absently. She was a _Rammstein_ fan herself, though not as much as her cousin. It was much too noisy for her taste. Well most of the songs were anyways. Sadly, there weren't many people that actually knew the band, since it was from their parents' times and it was a _German_ metal band. Considering where they lived, it was hard to actually find someone who liked metal to begin with. People there were more into what they called _in_ music. Pop, Hip-Hop and such."Enough _Rammstein_, I wanna hear _Nightwish_!"

Damien countered "No Goth crap! Either _Lost Prophets _or _Green Day_!"

His boyfriend sighed "Wouldn't you rather listen to something a bit less harmful to our ears? Like- well- _Nightwish_'s fine…"

Rome grinned "It's two against one!"

"Hell no! I want _Limp Bizkit_! _Nightwish_ in the middle of the day is no good! And I'm not in the mood for _Green Dorks_ or _Lost P._ so nye!" Nasty pouted sternly.

TJ snarled "No! I want _Linkin Park_!" he sent a wink at Vick, who immediately nodded "Me too! Nigy?"

The lime haired boy smirked "_Linkin Park_ please…"

"Fine…" Damien grumbled as he searched trough the CD pile "Hey Nazz, where do you keep the LP CDs?"

She sighed and went into her house, returning with three CD cases in her hand and her dormouse balancing itself on her shoulder "Which one shall we hear to scare away this ever lasting boredom that is currently consuming our poor, _pure_ innocent souls?" she rose an eyebrow.

TJ snatched the CDs from her and looked through them "Aw… no Jay Z…" he pouted and chose _Meteora_ instead, giving it to Damien, who was playing as DJ at the time "Muh… which shall I play first? Nasty's choice! It **is** her CD!"

"Hit the Floor. But then again, it shouldn't really matter. We're here to discuss a few things, not to listen to music…"

"Point taken." Damien set the CD and plopped down next to her as it started playing the desired song.

_There are just too many  
Times that people  
Have tried to look inside of me  
Wondering what I think of you  
And I protect you out of courtesy  
Too many times that I've  
Held on when I needed to push away  
Afraid to say what was on my mind  
Afraid to say what I need to say  
Too many  
Things that you've said about me  
When I'm not around  
You think having the upper hand  
Means you've got to keep putting me down  
But I've had too many stand-offs with you  
It's just about as much as I can stand  
Just wait until the upper hand  
Is mine_

"Ok, we all know Darien'll be leaving next year- hold back those tears Bee-Bee, you'll live…"

The boy sniffed dramatically "But it'll be hard…" he mock-cried into Darien's shirt to which he rolled his eyes, patting his back "Stop being uncouth… It's not like we'll never see eachother again… besides, it's still over a _year_ away?"

"Oh, right…" he grinned

_One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Watch it drop  
Making your heart stop  
Just before you hit the floor  
One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Missed your shot  
Making your heart stop  
You think you won._

_And then it's all gone_

Nasty cleared her throat "Anyways, knowing DD over there, I can predict a whole summer worrying about the college admission exams, where to stay, and all that crap, but like I said, that's next year so for now, who cares!" she cleared her throat and went on "The fact is, this year, there **are** a few of our friends who are leaving for college. And I want us all to go to the beach this weekend for a farewell party!"

_So many people like me  
Put so much trust in all your lies  
So concerned with what you think  
To just say what we feel inside  
So many people like me  
Walk on eggshells all day long  
All I know is that all I want  
Is to feel like I'm not stepped on  
There are so many things you say  
That make me feel like you've crossed the line  
What goes up will surely fall  
And I'm counting down the time  
'Cause I've had so many stand-offs with you  
It's about as much as I can stand  
So I'm waiting until the upper hand  
Is mine_

Vick sighed "Yeah… I'm gonna miss Mike… Claude and Matty too…"

"After all the trouble we had hooking her up with Miguel… now they're going to different places… it's not fair…"

_One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Watch it drop  
Making your heart stop  
Just before you hit the floor  
One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Missed your shot  
Making your heart stop  
You think you won._

_And then it's all gone_

Nasty sighed and nodded at her cousin "Hn… Crusher has to go too… there goes my bodyguard…" she shook her head "Well, the point is, we all love those dudes and all, so **we have** to get them a nice farewell party! Vicky, you're still able to take care of the booze, right?"

"Surey-oh princess!"

_I know I'll never trust a single thing you say  
You knew your lies would divide us  
But you lied anyway  
And all the lies have got you floating  
Up above us all  
But what goes up has got to fall_

_One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Watch it drop  
Making your heart stop  
Just before you hit the floor  
One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Missed your shot  
Making your heart stop  
You think you won._

_And then it's all gone_

"Ok…" she started scribbling a list on a small notebook "C'mon, what shall Vick get for us? Don't forget there'll be a lot of people and it's a _beach_ party! I'll repeat: Lot's of people! Not a disco party where there are a just few friends and all. So no vodka or liquors. That would be ridiculously expensive and not good. Beer, and non-alcoholic drinks for the little ones…" she patted TJ on his head, to which the small boy grumbled "No fair."

Damien pouted "If you've already made up your mind on what to "order" what are you asking _us_?"

Nasty sent him a 'duh' look "So you can choose the brand? Or shall I just order coke and Budweiser?"

_It's easier to run  
Replacing this pain with something numb  
It's so much easier to go  
Than face all this pain here all alone_

_Something has been taken  
From deep inside of me  
A secret I've kept locked away  
No one can ever see  
Wounds so deep they never show  
They never go away_

_Like moving pictures in my head  
For years and years they've played_

He felt alarm bells "No no no! Huh, I want good ol' Miller!"

His boyfriend sighed "Can't there be wine?"

"I dunno… Vick?"

"Well, beer, I can get… but wine… Huh… I could try… But it'll come out really expensive…"

_If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
If I could take all the shame to the grave I  
Would_

Damien beamed at them "We _could_ take our own supply of wine… or vodka in my case… I mean, it's a lot of people drinking for free, I think each should bring something if they want something other than beer! We're already paying for the beer so it's the least they can do. It's fairer…"

Nasty smirked "I think the only one trying to get booze for free here is **you**. But it's a good idea yeah… Now back to the brands. What else?"

"Guinness."

"I want Carlsberg!"

Nasty rose an eyebrow at their youngest friend "**You** are not allowed anything stronger than Red Bull. But I like Carlsberg. Thanks for the reminder."

He pouted "Fine… but I get first choice on the soft drinks then… And **I** control how much Red Bull everyone drinks! I don't want anyone going hyper…" he sent Rome a meaningful look to which she stuck her tongue out at him "It's non-alcoholic so I can drink as much as I like!"

"Of course you can! Darien? You're not planning on getting drunk are you?"

"Of course not!"

_If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
I would take all the shame to the grave_

_It's easier to run  
Replacing this pain with something numb  
It's so much easier to go  
Than face all this pain here all alone_

_Sometimes I remember  
The darkness of my past  
Bringing back these memories  
I wish I didn't have  
Sometimes I think of letting go  
And never looking back  
And never moving forward so  
There would never be a past_

"Rome?"

"You know I don't drink alcohol…"

"Ok then, You two will be the car-key keepers. You keep them from drunken drivers. I don't want any accidents." She then turned to the lime haired boy sitting next to her cousin, her voice sugary sweet "Nigy? Would you be our little cupid and spread the love around in the simple shape of condoms? I could even get Rome to design you a cute little outfit and all…"

He glared at her "Don't get on my nerves…"

She stuck her tongue out at him "Fine spoilsport… But you _will_ spread condoms around. Like I said, I don't want any accidents."

"What about me?"

She looked at her best friend "Hum, you could spread around about the party… since you know everyone apparently…"

"No, _I_ don't know everyone. _Everyone_ knows** me**." he grinned proudly.

"Not for the best of all reasons I'm afraid…" Darien breathed through his clenched teeth.

"Hey hey hey! I'll have you know sourpuss, I'm very popular!"

"_Right_… And Nastasha's planning on taking up celibate…"

"Shut up. Damien, I know you're- kinda, well… everyone knows you… not in a good way sure, but yes you are known… So shut up and listen. This is what you have to say-"

_If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
If I could take all the shame to the grave I  
Would_

_If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
I would take all the shame to the grave_

"Whaddaya mean not in a good way?"

"I mean, our school is full of a bunch of retards who don't accept the fact that you're gay and wear make-up **and** have those freaky mood swings and so, dislike you. Stupid I know, but we'll deal with it… eventually…"

"But I'm not-"

"Of course you're not. Now, I want you to tell them the actual party starts at 9 PM and that if they want to, we can all go to the beach for some real beach time. Ya know, swimming, sunbathing… whatever. I think we should go at around noon and leave at 6 so we can get ready for the later events."

"In other words, get all prepped up for getting drunk…" Rome muttered "Not my vision of the best farewell party ever but it'll do I suppose… So what are you doing? Besides handing out commands I mean?" she rose an eyebrow at her cousin.

She huffed "I'll have you know organizing such a great event is hard! But I'll have my own part in the organization besides being the organizer herself, don't worry. The music and the sound system's on me. And Bee shall be our DJ. Won't you?"

_Just washing it aside  
All of the helplessness inside  
Pretending I don't feel misplaced  
Is so much simpler than change_

_It's easier to run  
Replacing this pain with something numb  
It's so much easier to go  
Than face all this pain here all alone_

_It's easier to run_

"Sure… as long as I can drink from midnight on and all…"

"Fine… Who'll take up his place from midnight on? Remember you're supposed to be **sober**…"

Darien shook his head "Sober at _midnight_? None of them then. I mean, me and Rome will be sober, sure, but we'll be too busy fending the key box from angry drunken uncouth drivers. So how about you ask one of the older guys? You know, those older guys you're doing this party for?"

"Good idea… Claude is an excel DJ… and I know he'll be sober since he doesn't like to drink… guess I'll take his camera from then on… hehe…"

Damien panicked "He's taking that thing again? Oh man… last time he did he blackmailed me with those stupid videos and I lost my greatest treasure!"

"Well maybe if you hadn't tried to start a strip conga -which no one followed by the way- you wouldn't have had to give up your stupid prized board thing." Darien stated matter-of-factly, eyeing him with distaste while the rest of them smirked at the memory of their friend stripping and jumping on everyone attending the party while shouting out a conga-like song he had just made up. It had been priceless.

_If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
If I could take all the shame to the grave I  
Would_

_It's so much easier to go  
If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
I would take all the shame to the grave_

"How was the song again? Oh wait!" TJ smirked and started swaying from side to side "_Huh huh come and join **us**! Come join our strip **conga**! Take 'em off get **funkey**-_" he finally burst out laughing along with everyone else.

"It wasn't funny! And back to what matters, _Tony Hawk_ himself gave me that skateboard after a lot of work and elbowing through a stupid crowd! I almost got killed to get it! It's one of a kind!" Damien stood up, livid "It was my own little treasure and now I'll never get it back! And why? Because _someone_ decided to spread around that I had it!" he glared at Vick who meeped and scooted away from him "I'm sorry!"

"Calm down Bee… I'll get your skate back… though I don't get why you want it… it's not like you can use it considering the state it's in…" Nasty stood up and wiped her behind, yawning and stretching out. "It's just an old board…"

"HE SIGNED IT! FOR ME! It says "To Wiz-D from T. Hawk" and then it has his autograph and it's the coolest-"

"I know what it says… you only showed it to me a few hundred times the week you got it afterall…" she rolled her eyes

"That's not the point! I want it back! So you'll be a good girl and get that son of a bitch in one embarrassing situation and give me the tape with said situation! And if he dared to vandalize the board I won't just spread the tape around school… I'll spread it around all of them **50 states**! And beyond if he tries to run out of America!"

Nasty turned off the stereo and rolled her eyes "I was thinking more in the lines of asking him nicely… ya know, _my way_… but that would do… though you'd have to wait till the party that way and on the other hand I could get it for you today still…" she fluttered her eyelashes seductively at him "What do you say? Shall I?"

"Sure… but I'm still getting a video of him being stupid!" he growled and plopped down next to Darien, laying his head on his lap and pulling his cap downwards "Now excuse me while I take a nice nap."

Darien rolled his eyes and pushed him to the grass "Not on me you don't." he stood and fixed his pants looking around as everyone else did the same "So is that all?"

"I suppose…" Nasty rose an eyebrow at her whining best friend and prodded him with her foot to shut him up "Well, you are now dismissed, so get the Hell out of my house. I got my afternoon shift at _Ned's_ in less than an hour and I still need to eat something. Rome? Shall we g- Let go of my leg!"

Damien chuckled and got on his knees, making puppy dog eyes up at her "Feed me…"

"Piss off! You can stop by _Ned's_ and I'll get you a burger if you want but **you're** paying. Not me ya freeloader! Now beat it! Shoo!"

"Fine…" he stood and jumped over the fence after the rest of the boys, leaving the two girls behind.

"Ok, now that's finally over with… Will you be working over at _Ned's_ this year?"

Rome shrugged as she went into her cousin's house "I don't know… I want to but…"

"But what? Shall we eat here or at yours?"

"My place. I still have to talk to Dad. You know he'll blow a gasket if I don't ask for permission…"

Nasty snorted as she and Rome left her house and crossed the street, stepping into the clean Jurgen front garden "Uncle Robbie oughta stop living in the middle ages… I say it should be your choice and **your choice** only."

"Yeah well, he doesn't think so. It might be the most insignificant thing, and I might know for sure he approves of it and allows me, but he still wants me to ask. I think I have a name for that actually…" she sighed "How about- over-controlling?"

Nasty chuckled and shook her head as her cousin opened the door and lead the way into the kitchen, where a young woman stood, fussing over something in the oven. She had long, raven black hair, kept back in a neat braid, a single red streak dyed along her front bangs. Her eyes were of a vivacious green color and her clothes consisted of a sleeveless top and fitted jeans, all brown. She turned to the two girls and smiled "Hiya sweety! How waz school?"

Rome smiled back and nodded, refraining from hugging her mother as she usually did and keeping a weary eye on her cousin. "Hi mom. The usual… teachers teach, students learn. Or at least we're supposed to…"

The woman chuckled and turned to her niece "How 'boutcha Nasty? I hope you didn't get into trouble today…" she winked at her and chuckled "If you gals wait a sec ya'll get some nice apple pie… otherwise… there's milk in the fridge and some cookies over there in that jar…"

Nasty smiled "Well I'd love to eat some pie, trust me, but I'm in a hurry so I'll stick with some milk and cookies as usual…"

"Okie. I'll get you a piece later then."

"Thanks!" Nasty smiled and took some cookies into a plate while Rome poured the milk into two glasses "So… huh… Mom?"

"Hum?"

"When will Dad be home?" she sat down, taking a cookie as her cousin sat down as well, sipping her glass pensively.

Minx gave it a thought "Hum… Well he asked me t' cook something he liked for dinner… So I need to go buy some of that stinkey cheese he likes -gotta write tha' down…-" she scribbled something on a small paper kept on the fridge's door by a small magnet and turned back to her daughter "So, I presume he'll be here fer dinner… which means, _don't_ be late. Or ya'll get his usual "I didn't raise you to be uncouth" lecture thing." She chuckled and went back to her cooking, while Nasty leaned forward to her cousin "So, you're asking him today? I can tell Ned you're coming if you want, that way he'll remove that _help wanted_ thing from the window."

"Oh would you? Thanks!"

"No prob!" she glanced at her watch and squealed, drinking down the rest of her milk and grabbing a couple of cookies "Thanks Minx gotta go now! I'm late! Bye Rome!"

"Bye…"

"Adios Nasty!" Minx chirped happily, waving frantically at her niece

Rome frowned at her, jerking her head in slight embarrassment "Mom…"

"Wha'?" she blinked.

**(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)**

A yawn was heard from one of the booths existent in the city's most popular diner "So huh, are you sure her shift was now?" a man with vibrant red hair asked his friend.

The other man sighed and rubbed his eyes "No, not now. She should have been here at least **twenty minutes** ago."

"Here's your coffee. And I second that! Where is the little runt?"

"Good question… She still hasn't apologized for kicking me out of her house with no goodbye kiss…" Vick grumbled as he looked around casually.

"Gee, I wonder _why_…" Ned rolled his eyes and went back to the kitchen.

Vick rose an eyebrow at him and turned to the other two men "What was that supposed to m-" He suddenly beamed "MY LOVE!" he ran towards the door as quickly as he could only to get thrown away by what seemed to be a blue hurricane "GET OUT OF THE WAY! I AM SO LATE THERE IS NO EXPRESSION TO EXPRESS HOW LATE I A-! **HANDS OFF MY ASS YA FILTHY WANKER!** THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SO GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY WAY!"

"But Nastee…"

"Don't touch me ya freakin' asshole!"

The redhead rose an eyebrow as his partner jerked his head and muttered something inaudible, sipping his coffee with a deep frown "Nastasha." He said through gritted teeth, making the girl look over at him with widened eyes "I mean huh… Please remove your hands from my _behind_ if you please sir. Thank you… NOW GET!" she punched Vick away and turned over to the booth her father sat at, blinking at him and ignoring his friend in the process "Woo, are you actually here? Or did you buy a holographic image of yourself and are still back at the office?" she poked him "Well, it's realistic…"

"Sit down." He sneered

Nasty groaned and approached the table "Realistic alright… and as grumpy as the original…" she muttered as she plopped down, pouting.

"Nastasha…"

"Sorry… Now what am I here for? In case you didn't hear me a while ago, I'm late and- Ned's glaring at me… huh… COMING!"

"DON'T YELL ACROSS THE DINER!"

She smirked and yelled even louder "**SORRY NED**!"

"HIWATARI!"

She chuckled along with the red head and propped her elbows on the table, looking over at her father who apparently didn't find the situation even slightly funny "So when are you planning to answer my question?"

Kai growled "When are **you **planning to behave for once?"

She sighed, unaffected by his tone "Well if your answer's the same as mine I might as well get to work, I don't have _till the end of the world_ to sit here…"

"Sit down."

"I didn't even move…" she mumbled.

"Well don't. And shut up for once. There's someone I want you to meet…"

Nasty blinked and finally looked over at the other man, still chuckling at her, his icy blue eyes sparkling with amusement. She found him oddly familiar. And hot… But he was one of her Daddy's friends so he was out of range… too bad… Now from where could she have seen him before? Hum, maybe from one of those meetings her father attended to -when he was _supposed_ to spend the day with her- she liked interrupting with the stupidest excuses she could find. She always liked checking out the expressions her father's colleagues sent her and him too. It was generally priceless. Of course the grounding part was never nice but it was well worth it! But nah… she would have noticed something _that_ fine… definitely… She sighed in defeat and rose an eyebrow at the red-head, shrugging "Really now? Another innocent guy to join your preppy friends' list is it? I'm not going to no company gala dinner to accompany him or **you** so don't even ask. Unless I'm allowed to ruin it of course." she smirked.

Kai ran a hand over his face while his friend right-out laughed at her "This is an old friend of mine… Whom I haven't seen in almost ten years… you knew him too… he watched you grow during your first years…" 'When **I** couldn't be there myself…' he added mentally "And could you be nice for once?"

"Fine. Hi "_Guy I never saw in my entire life but Daddy insists I have_"! How's ya?"

"**Nastasha**! What did I just say!" Kai was exasperated.

"'s ok Kai… Hey there Nasty… Haven't seen you in years… I- suppose you don't remember me then… Or anything from back then actually… Well that's what I was told anyways huh- Right?"

Nasty blinked at him "From back **when**? Who are you?"

"My name's Tala Ivanov… I was a friend of your parents. Your mother specially… I- helped her look after you and your- OW!"

Nasty ignored the glare her father was currently sending at the older man and whatever else he might have said after mentioning her mother and shot up from her seat, gaping down at him "You- you knew her? You knew my mother?"

"Better than anyone else…" he grinned smugly, rubbing his aching shin and glaring back at Kai.

'No way…' She quickly approached the table again, leering over at him anxiously "Then, you can tell me all about her!"

"No he can't."

"What? Daddy!"

"Huh, what does she mean by that? And why not? Kai?"

"Nastasha get to work, you said you were late yourself… Tala'll be going over for dinner later but don't expect no answers…" Kai said through gritted teeth

Nasty growled and glared at him with a passion "Why do you always treat me like a little kid? You can't keep something like this from me you don't have that right!"

"I told you I have my reasons not to tell you."

"I don't give a rat's ass about you or your friggin' reasons! I don't even know her name! You might be all secretive about yourself if you want, I respect that and Hell, I don't care! But you cannot keep my own mother a secret from me! **My** mother! Get it? I have the right to know what I want about her and what is it you did to her or whatever happened!" someone wrapped their arms around her now quaking form, pulling her back into a hug "Calm down, it's ok…" she gritted her teeth and jerked her head "Forget it… I don't care anymore… Just don't count on me for dinner." She turned her back on him and looked up at her best friend, smiling weakly "Hey Bee… I'll get your burger… Just a sec…" She sent one last glare at her father and left into the diner's kitchen, Damien quickly following after sending her father a meaningful look.

Tala blinked at the departing couple and looked back at Kai with a glare "What's that I just heard? You're keeping Melody a secret from her? HOW COULD YOU DO THAT! She doesn't even dream she had a twin brother does she? KAI!"

"Shut up Tala, please…" Kai rubbed his eyes. That girl was an even bigger headache than her mother! "And besides, it's not my fault she forgot all that after- after what happened!" he looked away, clenching his fists.

The red head frowned and looked away "That's no reason to hide her life from her… You know Melody- she… She wouldn't have liked this you know… Not one bit."

"Tala…"

The red head didn't miss the warning tone in his friend's voice "Fine…" he looked around a bit in awkwardness and finally sighed, turning back to him "So huh, what's for dinner?"

"I don't know… Nastasha normally cooks…"

"Guess that means we'll have to go out for dinner then…" he sighed and leaned back into the cushioned wall behind him. She was so different from what he remembered she was… she had her mother's eyes and most of her facial features… but she was shorter than he remembered Melody used to be… and curvier… Herm… _This is **Nasty**, the little flea we're talking about here… Besides… she and that guy seemed quite- intimate… _he turned to Kai, a dubious look upon his face "Huh, who was that guy? The- goth or whatever he was…"

Kai rose an eyebrow at him "Damien? Huh, her best friend I think… he practically lives over at my house I believe… he's always there whenever I'm home and according to Robert, most of the rest of the times too. Normally in the kitchen…" he muttered.

"Oh…" why was he even asking this? "They seemed- pretty intimate… Are you sure they're just friends?"

"Positive."

"How can you be so sure?"

"It's not my place to tell you that. Ask him why- Oh, never mind…"

A blond tall boy passed by their table, nodding at Kai and sending a weird look at Tala, then approaching the other boy who was currently trying to cheer up his best friend and taking a seat next to him. Tala blinked as Damien or whatever his name was wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck and grinned cheekily at him for some reason while the girl rolled her eyes and seemed to- gag… "What the-" his eyes widened dramatically when the two boys kissed for some good time and it was not just some innocent kiss. They were _making out _"WHAT THE HELL?"

"**Now** do you get why there's no way there could be something between them?" Kai stated dully as he sipped his coffee, averting his eyes from the scene "Quit staring or he'll think you're checking him out."

"Wha- ? No way!"

"Yes way. Damien's as conceited as you can get. If anyone's been staring at him for more than two seconds it's because they have a crush on him. And he does go to the person who was "staring" and tells them he's taken or something like that."

"Then what?"

"Then Nastasha pulls him out of there and says he's drunk too much to excuse his stupidness."

Tala smirked at Kai "Did **you** ever stare?"

"He seemed to think so because Nasty told me he had a crush on me a couple of years ago." He shuddered

His friend right out laughed "No way! And what did you do?"

"I spluttered coffee everywhere and had to buy a new carpet for my room."

"I mean about him."

"I told him to get real and that I'd castrate him if he ever dared even _dreaming_ of me in that way ever again."

"Poor guy… So…" _back to the subject I care about- though maybe I shouldn't… Oh what the Hell… I can just limit myself to checking her out… it won't hurt… _"That means lil' Nasty's single…" _Please say yes please say yes please say yes…_

"No. But she won't bare with Victor much longer… It's not like her to keep the same guy for more than a week. And I can already tell he's getting on her nerves."

_**Yes**! That means I can check out that- nice ass… anytime I want without fearing no jealous boyfriend… _Tala smirked as Nasty went past them to get some- order or whatever from another table, her back to them thus giving him a nice view… "Tala… Don't you dare…"

"Huh?" he turned to Kai to find him glaring hotly at him "Touch her and I'll castrate you too…"

He mustered a look of utter revulsion "Oh God no! She's just a kid and for Cripe's sake I- watched her being born!" _Liar… _"It would be- weird! I was just- thinking on how much she changed… And she looks a lot like-"

"Enough."

"Ok, ok…" he waited for Kai to drift off into _Thinkingland _as he always did and went back to staring at the gorgeous teenager his little Nasty had become. She didn't look like a teenager to him… Even though she was short, she seemed to be an older woman… She had lost all that sparkle she used to have in her eyes, all her childishness, her innocence had disappeared. It wasn't hard to guess why… Kai had neglected her of his presence and affection and such, and apparently she had had to grow on her own and too fast. Much too fast… He shook his head and cursed at himself. How could he even think of her like some of those vulgar women he always lured into his alcove? This was his little girl… But he couldn't help but stare. There was something about her that attracted him all that much. He had felt drawn to her the moment he had seen her barging into the diner a while ago.

He stiffened when she looked up from whatever she was doing and stared directly into his eyes with her burning ones sending a series of tingly sensations throughout his body. He had never seen such intense eyes… and they seemed so- inviting… He shook his head and looked away from her, cursing at himself again _That girl's half my age… I **can't**. It's just- wrong… But…_ he looked back up at her to find her still gazing over at him, her ruby lips tilting in a smile something akin to a smirk. He flinched as she put down the round tray she had used to carry drinks around and such and approached the table, taking a seat right in front of him and snapping her fingers in front of her father, thus making him snap awake "Huh?"

"I suppose you'll need me to cook dinner right? It's not his fault you can't even boil an egg…" she muttered

Kai sighed. She wanted him to get all submissive on her probably… Or whatever… he still couldn't understand how she worked… But why had she swollen her pride and approached him to offer to cook a dinner to which she had left clear she wasn't planning to attend to? Who knew… "Right… And will you have dinner with us too or not?"

"No. I'm going out with Vick tonight…" she grinned mischievously "I told him I wanted to talk to him about our- _relationship_…"

Someone chuckled from behind her and soon a grinning boy appeared peeking from the next booth, his arms slung over the wall separating them "Don't be too hard on him… He probably thinks you want him to propose to you or something…"

"Meh!"

"Meh yourself. But it's about time. His clinginess was getting irritating. And you know I like to have you all to myself…" he winked at her.

"My fridge and my cooking services you mean. Shut up and mind your own business ya nosey Bee! Go and snuggle with Darien or something, he's getting needy. Can't you feel the crabbyness in the air?" she grumbled, to which her friend chuckled while his boyfriend complained from behind him "NASTASHA!"

"See? Now beat it!" she pushed his face away, turning back to the table when he finally slid back down to his seat. "Sorry about that… Now, what would you like me to cook?"

Kai shrugged "Do as you wish… as long as it's edible…" he checked his watch "Hum… got court in half an hour… Your shift is over right? Want me to drop you home?"

Before she could answer, Tala barged in "I can do that Kai, you go on ahead…"

"Sure… Just- something… Nastasha, could you leave the two of us alone for a few minutes?"

"Right… I'll go tell Ned I'm leaving then." She sighed and stood up, walking to the counter and away from hearing range.

Kai approached the table and spoke in a low voice "Now you listen here. I- don't want her to know-"

"Why not?"

"Listen she-"

"She has the right to know about her mother Kai! How could you hide this from her? Just because you don't like to be reminded of her doesn't mean she can't know now!"

He sighed "Fine. But don't tell her more than she needs to know."

"Such as- ?"

"Such as about Nicholai. She doesn't need to know about him. Or- who killed them…" he said through gritted teeth "You don't know her… Her reaction- It wouldn't be too healthy and she'd probably go after them or something I- I don't know just- don't tell her more than what's strictly necessary…"

Tala sighed and nodded "Fine. But I still think that's unfair. Of one thing I assure you though. She'll find out sooner or later. And if I were you, I'd make sure it was sooner rather than later."

"Whatever… I'll see you later." He stood just as his daughter got back to their table, waving over at the booth beside it "So are we going?"

"Sure. I'll see you later." Kai stroked her cheek, staring at her for a few seconds and left, leaving her blinking at him "O- k… Huh…" she turned to Tala and smiled deviously "Let's get going then shall we?"

"Sure…"

**R&R PLEASE! n-n**


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